Method of cutting and wrapping cake



Jan. 18, 1944. v o. L. RICE 2,339,584

METHOD OF CUTTING AND WRAPPING CAKE Filed March 1, 1941 (am BY WMPatented Jan. 18, 1944 METHOD OF CUTTING AND WRAPPING CAKE Orrle L.Rice, Wood-Ridge, N. J., assignor to Milprint, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Delaware Application March 1, 1941 Serial No. 381,408

2 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art ofpreparing and packaging commodities for marketing, and relates morespecifically to an improved method of cutting objects into segments andof wrapping the severed objects protectively. I

An object of the invention is to provide a new and useful method ofsevering objects such as cakes into a group of individual sections andof enwrapping the group as a unit in a protective wrapper.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved package whereinan object such as a cake pre-cut into sections is effectively confined,while maintaining the individual sections segregated from each other.

It has heretofore been common commercial practice to slice loaves ofbread or the like, prior to wrapping thereof for subsequent handling,transportation and marketing. This procedure is relatively simple andfree from difficulty when used in connection with bread loaves or thelike, since this commodity is relatively dry and free from stickysubstances which would.

tend to cause the slices to adhere to each other or to the wrapper. Whenit is attempted to pre-cut or slice confections such as cake whereinrelatively sticky and fluent ingredients are often used in the body, asa coating and between layers, it is necessary to provide some means forretaining the severed sections in segregated condition so that theultimate consumer will not be obligated to re-cut the commodity. Inorder to avoid waste of time, and to insure uniform cutting and toeliminate undesirable distortion of relatively soft cakes, it is alsodesirable to sever all of the sections simultaneously, and thisprocedure introduces difliculties especially when applied to roundcakes. If the cakes are coated with frosting, icing, or otherwise, thewrapper will also tend to cling to the coating unless some means forpreventing such action, are provided. It has therefore been impracticalwith prior cutting and wrapping methods, to pre-cut and wrap many kindsof edible commodities, and especially fresh cakes.

The present invention contemplates provision undesirably mutilating theobject.

of a simple, yet highly eflicient method of preslicing and of enwrappingcakes or the like in protective and attractive wrappers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved methodwhereby circular cakes or the like may be cut into a group of equal-sizepieces, and the cut portions may be maintained in segregated condition.

- Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved methodof wrapping cakes coated with frosting or the like, in a thintransparent wrapper and in such manner that the wrapper will not contactthe coating.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved parcelcomprising a coated cake or the like segregated into sections ofdefinite size, and wherein the segregated parts are eifectivelyseparated from each other and are devoid of external direct contact withthe enclosing wrapper.

Another additional object of my invention is to provide a highlyattractive and protective package for commodities such as fresh cakes,which can be rapidly and conveniently produced.

These and other bjects and advantages of the invention will be a parentfrom the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several steps involved in my improved Wrappingmethod, and of the construction of a package resulting from use of theprocess, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forminga part of this specification, wherein like reference charactersdesignate the same or simila parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a rather diagrammatic perspective view of a typicalcylindrical layer cake, resting upon a supporting disk;

Fig. 2 is a similar diagram depicting the initial act of positioning thesevering knives above the cake;

Fig. 3 is another similar view illustrating the step of simultaneouslycutting the cake into a group of radiating sections;

Fig. 4 is still another similar disclosure, showing the knives afterhaving been withdrawnfrom the cut cake;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the severed cake, and illustrating themode of'applying the section segregating partitions;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the division partitions fully inserted;and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the final package.

While the improved method has been described herein as beingspecifically applied to the cutting and wrapping of a circular frostedlayer cake to produce a display package of unique construetion, it willbe apparent that the method may be equally and advantageously practicedin respect to diverse other commodities or objects having differentshapes and other characteristics.

My improved method may be readily and quickly applied in pro-cutting andwrapping cakes, and in Fig. -1 of the drawing is shown a typical freshcircular layer cake Ill resting upon a circular supporting plate or diskll of cardboard, thin metal, or other suitable material. The cake in mayor may not be frosted or otherwise coated, and may also have beds oficing, custard or the like between layers, and is preferably in freshcondition, and as a rule these cakes contain ingredients which makeeither the interiors or exteriors thereof relatively sticky.

When carrying on the improved pre-cutting or slicing method, Ipreferably provide a series of sharp blades or knives l2 radiating froma common center and adapted to be simultaneously lowered andsubsequently withdrawn radially from the common center, by any suitablemechanism. In actual practice I have suspended a set of knives l2 ofsufficient length for various size cakes I 0, from a vertically movablehorizontal disk provided with spiral slots coacting with projections onthe individual knives so as to simultaneously move all of the loweredblades radially outwardly when the supporting disk is rotated a shortdistance. The fresh cake l may first be positioned centrally beneath thegroup of knives l2 as depicted in Fig. 2 of the drawing, whereupon theset of sharp blades may be simultane 'ously gently lowered through thebody of the cake It as illustrated in Fig. 3, until they reach thesupporting plate H. The cake III will thus be quickly and efiectivelycut into a group of sectors l3 of uniform size and shape, all radiatingfrom the common cake center, so that they may be subsequently readilyremoved with a cake knife or the like.

When the knife blades l2 have been thus lowered through the cake bodyand the cutting has been completed, it is impractical to elevate thecutters vertically away from the supporting disk II, for removal, assuch procedure would break.

the sectors l3 and cause them to spread apart. I therefore withdraw theknives l2 radially from the bottom of the cake III as shown in Fig. 4,until all of the blades clear the periphery of the cake, whereupon theknife assembly may be lifted away from the previously pre-cut cake andprepared for the cutting of a subsequent similar object. Such withdrawalor removal of the knives I2 does not objectionably disrupt or separatethe pieces or sectors l3, and leaves clean cuts between the adjacentsegments.

After the cake It has been thus severed into separate sectors I 3, it isdesirable in most cases to quickly and positively segregate-the sectionsfrom each other. This segregation is easily accomplished by insertingdividing plates or partitions l4 within the radial cuts between the sectors l3, and these partitions may be applied either individually or inpre-arranged groups as shown in Fig. 5. The partitions l4 may be formedof any suitable sheet material such as cardboard or thin metal, and theyshould preferably be applied to the cake in as quickly as possible afterthe cutting operation has been completed. It is also preferable in mostcases, to form the par titions H of such size, that they will projectoutwardly beyond the periphery and top of the cake it, when they havebeen inserted in the cut cake 75 of the method, herein shown anddescribed, for

and contact with the supporting disk It as illustrated in Fig. 6. Thisoutward projection of the partitions It has been somewhat exag erated inFig. 6, and is especially desirable when wrapping iced or frostingcoated cakes I0;-

When the segregating partitions id have been properly applied to thepre-cut cake III, the assemblage may be finally enclosed within asuitable wrapper l5 as shown in Fig. 7. The wrapper l5 may be formed ofany suitable sheet material such as regenerated cellulose or rubberhydrochloride film, either opaque or transparent, and may be held inplace by one or more adhesive bands H5 or the like. These wrappers mayalso be attractively decorated and provided with printed indicia, so asto produce neat and highly attractive final packages; and it will benoted that the outer and upper projecting edge portions of thepartitions M will effectively prevent the wrappers l5 from contactingthe peripheral and top surfaces of the enwrapped cakes l0, especially ifthe wrapper is pulled rather taut over these partitions. If so desired,an encircling band may also be applied to the lower portiorof thewrapper sheet I5 around the periphery of the supporting disk II.

The finally wrapped cakes It! will be effectively enclosed and protectedby the confining wrappers l5, and these wrappers may be quickly removedwithout marring the appearance of the cakes. When the wrapper l5 hasbeen removed from a cake [0, each of the severed sectors i3 may bewithdrawn from the cake assemblage, without disturbing the others, sincethe partitions l4 will maintain the several sections effectivelyseparated at all times. These partitions It therefore perform the dualfunction of keeping the cut portions separated from each other and inproper shape, and of preventing the wrapper l5 from contacting the outersticky surfaces of the cake III.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that thepresent invention provides a simple and highly effective method ofpre-cutting and of wrapping objects such as cake so as to produce highlyattractive and protective improved final packages. The improved methodof cutting the cake into a group of individual sections or sectors ofpredetermined size and shape, may be quickly carried on with leastdamage to the object, by simultaneously cutting all of the sectors witha group of cutters or knives adapted to be withdrawn longitudinally uponcompletion of each cut; and this method is especially applicable tocircular'cakes or the like, The improved method of retaining the cutsections or sectors in segregated condition, is likewise extremelysimple and efiective, and the separating partitons not only maintain thesectors segregated from each other, but also subsequently protect thecake from undesirable contact with the wrapper sheet. The improvedpackages produced by the present improved method are most effective inevery respect, and the invention has proven highly successful andsatisfactory in actual commercial use. The specific term cake as usedherein, is intended to include any object having characteristics similarto those of the edible confection ordinarily designated by that name,and these cakes may assume diverse shapes other than that hereinspecifically shown and described.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details of construction of the package, or to the precisesteps bottom, severing the cake into a group of sections bysimultaneously lowering elongated approxi mately horizontal cuttersdownwardly through the cake body and subsequently withdrawing thecutters longitudinally when lowered in proximity to said plate, promptlythereafter inserting division partitions of larger area than the zonesof severance between the cut sections so that the lower edges of thepartitions engage said plate and the upper and outer edges of all of thepartitions project outwardly beyond the adjacent outer surfaces of thecake, and finally applying a wrapper sheet over the cake in contact withthe upper and outer edges of said partitions and with the outer edge ofsaid plate, said wrapper sheet being spaced by the projecting portionsof said partition from all external surfaces of the cake sections toprevent said wrapper sheet from adhering thereto.

2. The method of cutting cake and of protecting the severed sections,which comprises, mounting a circular cake upon a supporting disk thecircumferential edge of which projects outwardly beyond the cake bottom,severing the cake into a group of sectors by simultaneously loweringelongated approximately horizontal cutters radiating from the centralcake axis downwardly through the cake body and subsequently withdrawingthe cutters radially when lowered in proximity to said disk, promptlythereafter inserting a group of partitions radiating from an axis and oflarger areas than the zones of severance between the cut sectors sothatthe lower edges of the partitions engage said disk, the upper and outeredges of all of said partitions projecting outwardly beyond the adjacentouter surface of the cake, and finally applying a wrapper sheet over thecake in contact with the upper and outer edges of said partitions andwith the outer peripheral edge of said disk, said wrapper sheet beingspaced by the projecting portions of said partitions from all externalsurfaces of the cake sectors to prevent said wrapper sheet from adheringthereto. ORRIE L. RICE.

